Ready for School. Ready for Life.

QUALITY IN ACTION!

Virginia Star Quality Initiative

Smart Beginnings Greater Roanoke is proud to be one of fifteen localities across the state implementing Virginia’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (VSQI)

In 2009, four centers received the very first star ratings in Roanoke.

As of December 2012, 22 centers in the Roanoke Valley have been star rated and several more programs are in the process of becoming star rated.

Across the state of Virginia, over 400 programs have received a star rating since 2009.

All programs that receive a star rating are going above and beyond basic licensing standards!

VSQI programs are now impacting close to 1500 children in the Roanoke Valley.

SBGR provides all VSQI programs with 16-32 hours of free on-site mentoring and training for staff each year, to ensure that the staff at VSQI programs are trained in best practices for teaching young children.

New programs are being added each year, please call 540.283.2786 to find out how your center can participate in the VSQI.

WHY DOES QUALITY MATTER?

Children in high quality child care settings are more successful in school and life, so choosing a preschool, child care program, or family child care home is one of the most important decisions parents and families can make. By selecting a program with a star rating, you can be confident that your child is in good hands!

The four standards of the VSQI—education, qualifications and training; interactions; staff to child ratio and group size; and learning environment and instructional practices —have indicators that must be achieved for each Star rating. These standards and indicators have been selected as a result of a thorough review of the research literature and best practices in other states. A strong body of research suggests that early care and education programs that focus on improving in ways aligned with these four standards yield positive outcomes for children.

Cozy Reading area in a preschool classroom

The VSQI program is available to any early learning environment working with children between the ages of zero and five and is currently open to the following types of early learning settings:

Their participation in this voluntaryquality rating and improvement system for early childhood programs speaks volumes about their commitment to providing quality learning experiences for our youngest citizens.

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Early childhood education is critical to our community's future economic well being. It's a question of pay-now or pay-later. Research indicates that if children are prepared when they start school and reading on grade level in their early years, they're far more likely to stay on track and finish school rather than become a costly drain on the community's social service system. Those who finish school are much more likely to become contributing members of our workforce.

Joyce Waugh, CEcD President, Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce

The United Way of Roanoke Valley serves as the fiscal agent for Smart Beginnings Greater Roanoke.